WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Mandalorian, streaming now on Disney+.
With its third and fourth episodes, The Mandalorian pulled back the curtain, ever so slightly, on the past of its mysterious title character, while delving deeper into the culture of Mandalore, whose warmongering inhabitants have a long, tumultuous history with the Star Wars franchise. However, in the process, the Disney+ series seems to have introduced a glaring plot hole with the assertion that Mandalorians never remove their helmets in front of others.
When Mando (Pedro Pascal) returns to the Armorer in Chapter 3 so she can forge new armor for him the Beskar steel he received as payment, we're introduced to other members of the Tribe, who live in a secretive enclave. When the bounty hunter is challenged by another Mandalorian for accepting Beskar stamped with the Imperial symbol, the Armorer intercedes, and asks whether Mando has ever removed his helmet in front of another, or allowed it to be removed by someone else. He answers no to both questions, prompting a response of "This is the Way," and pacifying his rival. The following episode returns to the subject when a widowed villager, Omera, asks the Mandalorian the last time he showed his face to another. He responds that he hasn't done so since childhood, and later elaborates it would violate his oath, and he would never be able to wear his helmet again.
It’s certainly an idea that fits with the warrior’s mantra of the Mandalorian, but it doesn’t make sense if one is familiar with Star Wars media the came before. We have seen Mandalorians without their helmets, with no concern for who might see them, most notably on the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. On the latter, the fan favorite Sabine Wren regularly went without her helmet. Boba Fett and his "father" Jango Fett were also frequently unmasked in the prequel trilogy, although neither is considered Mandalorian.
It would appear that The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau and his collaborators have written themselves into Star Wars plot hole the size of a Sarlacc pit. However, there is a way Mando’s "helmet rule" could still works with established Star Wars canon.
First off, let's consider the history of the Mandalorians. Originating on the planet Mandalore, they have a millennia-old reputation as proudly militaristic. They spread throughout the galaxy to seek work as mercenaries and bounty hunters.
That said, it must also be considered that Mandalore has been rocked by numerous civil wars, most notably one in which a pacifist faction tried to shun their warmongering culture and belief system. The Mandalorian people were further scattered during the Empire’s “Great Purge,” repeatedly referenced on The Mandalorian, a cataclysmic event that's not yet fully explained, but nevertheless resulted in a diaspora.
Different factions of Mandalorians undoubtedly emerged during that time. And because they weren’t united, it makes sense that they would develop different interpretations of "the Way." Perhaps some thought the best way to survive was to update established Mandalorian beliefs, while others took a more fundamentalist stance. In The Mandalorian Chapter 3, the Armorer says, "Our secrecy is our survival," which could hint that the Tribe's devotion to concealment could reach beyond merely disguising its true numbers.
The series has established that Mando was taken in by the Mandalorians at a young age after his parents were killed. From there, he learned their ways and was indoctrinated to their code. Thus far, it appears as if those Mandalorians have a more conservative value system than other factions. That makes sense, too, as the action in the series seems to be set in more remote parts of the galaxy, beyond the reach of the New Republic.
It’s too early to tell whether that aspect will be further developed on The Mandalorian. Yet, whether fans interpret Mando's helmet practices as a plot hole, having a perpetually helmeted protagonist hasn't dampened enthusiasm for the series.
Created by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Swallow, Omid Abtahi, Werner Herzog and Nick Nolte. Episodes 1-4 are now streaming on Disney+.